The sciatic nerve is responsible for the movement and sensation felt in the legs and feet. It is the longest nerve in the body that branches out from the lower back area of the spinal cord and runs through both buttocks and legs. When the sciatic nerve is inflamed, injured or compressed it causes pain along the course of the sciatic nerve and this condition is termed medically as sciatica.

Symptoms of Sciatica That Can be Cured by Natural Treatments:

– Pain that is constant and involves only one side of the leg or buttock (uncommon condition for both the sides to be affected).

– Weakness.

– Numbness.

– Burning or tingling sensation down the legs.

– Pain may worsen when sitting making it difficult to stand up or even walk.

Natural Treatments Cure Sciatica Caused by:

– Herniated disc. Discs are cushions situated between the individual vertebrae of the spinal column that acts as a ‘shock absorber’. When the disc protrudes it leads to irritation of the nerve roots causing sciatica.

– Spinal stenosis. Spinal canal is formed by the openings of the vertebrae that form the spinal column. When there is abnormal narrowing of this spinal canal it gives rise to the condition called spinal stenosis. When the stenosis becomes severe it compresses the nerves thereby causing sciatica.

– Lumbar subluxation refers to the condition of the spinal column wherein there is abnormal positioning of a lumbar vertebrae leading to loss of motion in a spinal joint and nerve irritation. This causes sciatic pain.

The treatment for sciatica depends on its specific cause and therefore proper diagnosis is warranted.

Treatment Options:

Treatment is usually self care and non-surgical methods. However, in more severe cases surgery may be an option. Due to the varying root causes of this condition one individual’s treatment option may be different from the other. A combination of the available options is the most effective course of treatment plan.

Natural Treatments That Can Cure Sciatica:

– Devil’s claw herb is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain killing properties and therefore recommended for sciatica sufferers to reduce inflammation and pain.

– Oil of evening primrose herb has anti-inflammatory properties and can help in milder cases of sciatica.

– Apply St. John’s Wort oil diluted in olive oil to the affected area to relax the nerves, preferably just before bedtime.

– Warm the water in which 4 cups of nettle leaves have been soaked for 12 hours. Strain and add to the bath water. Soak the lower body in this for twenty minutes, step out, and without drying wrap the body in warm clothing and sweat it out.

– Chamomile has a calming effect and encourages healing of muscle tissues. It can be applied topically or taken internally as a herbal tea.